Ignition system



F. GUELCHER IGNITION SYSTEM Filed March 14 1925 J4? J3 WINVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patent ed Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRANK GUELCHER, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

rem'rron SYSTEM,

Application filed March 14, 1925.v Serial No 15,614.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK GUELCHER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings, State of 6 New York, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will-enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved ignition system for internal combustion enines and more articularl to i 'nition systems for automobiles.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an ignition system of such a character that when a distributor, contact breaker or other part of the apparatus becomes out' of order, it is not necessary to repair the disarranged or broken parts before operating the engine again. My invention contemplates the provision of at least; two complete ignition systems and means whereby these two systems can be connected to the spark plugs of the engines selectively by simply operating a simple lever or its equivalent.

My invention includes two separate and distinct distributors, each connected to all of the spark plugs of the engine. This connection maybe permanent, or it may be effected through a suitable switch \WhlCh may or may not be operated whenthe connections arecha'ngedto'alter the manner in which electrical energy is supplied to the spark -plugs. A contact breaker may be associated --with each distributor and ,a driving means is (provided for actuating the distributors an contact breakers. Manually operated .means is provided for connecting the driving1 means to either of the distributors at wil ,1 prefer to employ ,a battery for supplying'current tothe distributors, and-to supplem'ent this current supply with two magnetos or generators driven in properly timed relation with respect to the distributors. 'The battery or either one of the generators, or the combination of one of the generators and the battery can be used for supplying current toithe distributor which is intended to supply current to the engine at any given time. A switch is provided in the circuit which connects the battery to the distributors and to the generators, and this switch is arranged so as to be actuated by the lever or rod which controls the driving mechanism for the distributors.

' My invention can be best understood by consideringthe following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of my improved ignition' system.

Figure 2 is a transverse section view of the driving mechanism. I

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the clutch members and Figure 4'is an elevation of the companion clutch member. 1

In the accompanying drawings, which are largely diagrammatic, I have illustrated at 1 an internal combustion engine, such as the ordinary automobile engine. The crank shaft of this engine is shown at 2. A plurality'of spark plugs, a, b, c and d are arranged in the well-known manner for the purpose of supplying the ignition current to the engine. 1

A distributor 3, spark coil 4 and contact breaker 5 areprovided for the purpose of supplying current to the spark plugs 01, b,

c and d. A battery 6 is connected so as'to supply current to the primary winding of the coil 4, the circuit being as follows: battery 6, lead 7, ammeter 8, switch 9, lead 10, switch 11, lead 12, contact breaker *5, lead ,I3,-primary winding of coil 4 and back to the battery 6- through grounded connections. The secondary winding of the coil 4 is arranged to be connected to leads 14, 15, 16 and 17 by therotating arm 18 of the distributor 3, and the leads 14, 15, 16 and 17 are, in turn, connected to the spark plugs a, b, c and d through the switch 11. The

switch 11 is of the double throw variety and is .provided with ten poles or contacts. Four of these poles, at, b, c and d are connected to the leads 14, 15, 16 and 17 and corresponding fingers of the movable element of the switch are connected to the spark plugs-a, b, 0, and d, as shown in Figure 1. v

The pole e is connected to the contact breaker 5 by means of the lead 12 and the corresponding finger of the mo able element of switch 11 is connected to the battery lead 10.

A manually operable rod 19, which can be arranged so as to be operated conven iently by the driver of the vehicle, serves as a means for operating the switch 11.

A generator 20 which can be driven by the crank shaft 2 of the engine is arranged to supply current to the contact breaker 5 and the spark coil 4. The generator or magneto 20 supplies current to the contact breaker 5 through the lead 21. The circuit connecting the magneto 20 with the s t coil is completed through grounded connections in the usual manner.

The magneto 20, distributor 3 and contact breaker 5 are all driven by the engine crank shaft through connecting apparatus which includes a shaft A clutch member 23 is splined to this shaft. The com panion clutch member 24 has a gear or sprocket wheel 25 attached thereto. The drive shaft 2 supplies power to the sprocket wheel 25 through a counter-shaft 26 and chains 21' and 28. A iever 29 connects the clutch member with the manually operable controlling rod 19. The arrangement is such that when the rod 19 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the clutch members 23 and 24 are brought into engagement and theshaft 22 is caused to rotate.

The clutch members 23 and 24 are preferably constructed in some such manner as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, the object being to make these members so that they will not engage except when they occupy a certain position. This insures the proper timing of the magneto 20 and associated parts. The clutch member 23 shown in Figure 3 is provided with an angular lug 30 adapted to fit into a corresponding depression or socket 31 in the companion clutch member 24. The clutch member 23 is also provided with a pin 32 adapted to fit into a hole 33 in the clutch member 24. The pin 32 is diametrically opposed to the lug 30 and it will be understood that the lug and pin when engaging'the socket 31 and the hole 33 serve, to transmit power from the clutch member'24 to the shaft 22. 1

Whenever the contacts of the distributor 3 or of the contact braker 5 get outof order, or any other part of the ignition apparatus, above described, becomes disarranged so that'the ignition system fails to supply current to the spark plugs, it would ordinarily be necessaryto repair the system at in such a manner that it can be connected up with the spark plugs and the crank shaft by merely operating the control rod 19.

\Vhen the control rod 19 is moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the switch 11 is moved into-the-position shown in this figure and the lever 19 is moved so as to disconnect the clutch members 23 and 24. This disconnects the distributor 3 and all parts associated therewith from the crank shaft, and disconnects the distributor 3 from the spark plugs 11, b, c and d. This movement of the control rod 19 thus completely disconnects the ignition a aratus above described; and it serves to connect a second ignition apparatus'into ooerative relation to the engine.

The second set of ignition apparatus may be substantially a duplicate of that above described and it so shown in the accompanying drawings. A distributor 34 having a movable ontact arm 18 is connected to contacts 9, 71', 1i, and y" of switch 11' by means of leads 35. 36, 37 and 38. The contact f of switch 11 is connected to a contact breaker 40 by means of a lead 39. The contact breaker 40 is, in turn, connected to the primary winding of a spark coil 41 by means of a lead 42. A magneto 43 driven by a shaft 44 is connected to the contact breaker 40 by means of a lead 45. The shaft 44 is driven by the crank shaft 2 through clutch members 46 and 47 and driving chains 48 and 28.

If, for any reason, the distributor 3 should get out of order or in fact any of the parts associated with this distributor, then by simply moving the rod 19 in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow, the distributor 3 and the generator 20 associated therewith can be disconnected from the spark plugs and the distributor 34 and the generator 43 con-nectedto the spark plugs in their place.

The movement of the rod 19 serves to disconnect the' clutch members 23 and'24 and connect the clutch members 46 and 47 This movement of the rod also serves to move the switch 11 so as to connect the distributor 34 to the spark plugs and to connect the battery 6 to the contact breaker 40 and the generator 43. v

The magnetos 20 and 43 shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings are illustrated as being of the type having a field winding supplied with excitation current from the battery 6. It will be understood, of course, that magnetos of the common type having a fieldstructure consisting of merely a permanent magnet may be employed. The battery 6 may beconnected to the spark coils 4 and 41 through. the contactjbreakers 5 and 40 respectively. When this is done, energy issupplied to the set of spark plugs b the battery and it will be understood that this connection is employed only in case both magnetos are out of order. The generators 20 and 43 shown in Figure 1 may be of the direct current type or of the alternating current type.

The embod'ment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings thus includes means for connecting either of two distributors to a set of spark plugs, at least one source of electrical energy, and manually operable means for selectively connecting the distributors so as to receive electrical energy. In this way. the proper operation of the engine is assured at all times because if the distributor or magneto supplying the electrical energy to the engine should get out of order, the second set of ignition appa-i ratus can be immediately brought into play.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular embodiment illustrated and described but includes such modifications thereof as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ignition system comprising the combination with a set of spark plugs, of two distributors, means for separately-connecting each distributor to the set of spark plugs, at least one source of electrical energy, and manually operable means for selectively connecting the distributors so as to receive electrical energy. v

. 2. An ignition system comprising the combination with a set of spark plugs, of two distributors each having a movable contact arm, separate means for driving each of said contact arms, a source of power for said driving means, means for separately connecting each distributor to the set of spark plugs, at least-one source of electrical energy, and manually operable means for simultaneously connecting 'one' distributor so .as to receive electrical energy andconnecting the driying means for this distributor to the source of power.

3. An ignition system comprising the combination with a set of spark plugs, of a' distributor having a movable contact arm, means for driving the contact arm of said distributor, a source of power for said driving means, means for connecting the distributor to eachof the spark plugs, a source of electrical energy, and manually. operable means for simultaneously, connecting the distributor so as to receive electrical energy from said source and connecting the driving means for thisd'istributorto the source of power.

4'. An ignition system com rising the combination with a set of'spark plugs, of two distributors each having a movable contact arm, separate means for driving each of said contact arms, a source of power for said driving means, means for separately connecting each distributor to the set of spark plugs, at least one source of electrical energy, and manually operable means for simultaneously disconnecting one distributor from a source of electrical energy and connecting the other distributor so as to'receive electrical energy, and connecting the driving means for this last mentioned distributor to the source-of power.

5. An ignition system com rising the'eombination with a set of spar plugs, of two distributors each having a movable contact arm, a generator associated with each distributor, separate means for driving the contact arms of said distributors and the generators associated therewith, a source of power for said driving means, means for separately connecting each distributor to the set of'spark plugs, and manually operable means for simultaneously connecting either of said driving means to said source of power.

6. An ignition system comprising the combination with a set of spark plugs, of two distributors each having a movable contact arm, a battery, a generator associated with each distributor, separate means for driving the contact arms of each of said distributors connecting said battery to one of said distributors and connecting the driving means for the generator associated with this distributor to the said source of power.

7 An ignition system comprising the combination with a set of spark plugs, of a double throw switch, having movable and stationary contacts, means for connecting movable contacts of said switch to the spark plugs, two distributors each having a movable contact arm, means for connecting each distributor to stationary contacts of said switch, 4 a battery connected to a movable contact of said switch, a generator for each of said distributors, separate means for driving each of said generators and the movable arms of the distributors associated therewith, a source of power, a clutch interposed between said source of power and each means for drl'vlng said generators, and manually operable means for simultaneously operating said switch and said clutches whereby either distributor and its associated generator can be connected to the spark plugs to supply energy thereto.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

FRANK GUE CHER. 

